Property and investing - any recommended books?

[jenzo]

Hi all

Can anyone recommend an influential/good book one should read, covering how to invest and buy property, to make a good return (monthly and long term) and then turning it into a side business - by building up a portfolio?

Thanks for all input in advance.

[trowelhead]

I've read many books on this topic, alot of them are filled with a mixture of overblown claims and upsells.

This one is not.

"Property Investment For Beginners" by Rob Dix.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Property-Investment-Beginn...

Really good "real world" overview on how to get started.

When you finish that, his other book Beyond the bricks is a good read (interviews with several full time property investors and what their lives look like on a day to day basis)

[13m]

jenzo said:

Hi all

Can anyone recommend an influential/good book one should read, covering how to invest and buy property, to make a good return (monthly and long term) and then turning it into a side business - by building up a portfolio?

Thanks for all input in advance.

Your timing is poor in my opinion.

The property investment ship has sailed, as far as small landlords are concerned. Unless you can do it all in cash and enjoy being regulated by clueless numpties from your local Council.

[trowelhead]

13m said:

Your timing is poor in my opinion.

The property investment ship has sailed, as far as small landlords are concerned. Unless you can do it all in cash and enjoy being regulated by clueless numpties from your local Council.

Times change, but property investment has been around for thousands of years, and most likely will be around for another few thousand years in one form or another...

internet said:

A Roman apartment building was called an insula (insulae in the plural). Insulae were owned, in full or in part, by wealthy individuals and were usually seen as investment properties.

Crassus, who was one of the richest men ever to live in Rome, maintained his fortune by owning great swathes of neighborhoods filled with insulae where he could extract rent from the people there. It was a great way to invest a fortune back then as it sometimes is today.

Crassus ran a private fire department at a time when Rome lacked a public one. He would send his men around to fires and demand ridiculous sums of money from building owners to put out their fires. If they refused, he would let the buildings burn to the ground.. and then would purchase the ashes from the destitute owner so that he could build a new insula of his own on top.

Would take more than a few tax changes to destroy the concept of owning a property and renting it out for income...

[13m]

trowelhead said:

13m said:

Your timing is poor in my opinion.

The property investment ship has sailed, as far as small landlords are concerned. Unless you can do it all in cash and enjoy being regulated by clueless numpties from your local Council.

Times change, but property investment has been around for thousands of years, and most likely will be around for another few thousand years in one form or another...

internet said:

A Roman apartment building was called an insula (insulae in the plural). Insulae were owned, in full or in part, by wealthy individuals and were usually seen as investment properties.

Crassus, who was one of the richest men ever to live in Rome, maintained his fortune by owning great swathes of neighborhoods filled with insulae where he could extract rent from the people there. It was a great way to invest a fortune back then as it sometimes is today.

Crassus ran a private fire department at a time when Rome lacked a public one. He would send his men around to fires and demand ridiculous sums of money from building owners to put out their fires. If they refused, he would let the buildings burn to the ground.. and then would purchase the ashes from the destitute owner so that he could build a new insula of his own on top.

Would take more than a few tax changes to destroy the concept of owning a property and renting it out for income...

I am not saying it won't continue.

I am pointing out that the past 18 years have been superb times for small property investors, but now those times are coming to an end the OP is planning to get involved. His timing is poor.